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"Sparks Fly" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...
for her third studio album '' Speak Now'' (2010). Swift had written the song before she released her self-titled debut album in 2006, but only included it on her third album after she received fan requests to release the song. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Sparks Fly" is an
uptempo A variety of musical terms are likely to be encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special mus ...
track combining
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...
,
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
, and
arena rock Arena rock (also known as AOR, melodic rock, stadium rock, anthem rock, pomp rock, corporate rock and dad rock; ; ) is a style of rock music that originated in the mid-1970s. As hard rock bands and those playing a softer yet strident kind of po ...
with a production incorporating dynamic
electric guitars An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gu ...
and subtle fiddles. The lyrics are about a temptation to resist a dangerous love affair. The song was released to US country radio on July 18, 2011, by
Big Machine Records Big Machine Records is an American independent record label, distributed by Universal Music Group. Specializing in country and pop artists, Big Machine is based on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee. The label was founded in September 2005 by fo ...
, as the fifth single from ''Speak Now''. A music video featuring footage of the
Speak Now World Tour The Speak Now World Tour was the second concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, and it was launched in support of her third studio album '' Speak Now'' (2010). The Speak Now tour began on February 9, 2011 in Singapore and the to ...
was released on August 10, 2011, accompanied by a limited-edition
CD single A CD single (sometimes abbreviated to CDS) is a music single in the form of a compact disc. The standard in the Red Book for the term ''CD single'' is an 8 cm (3-inch) CD (or Mini CD). It now refers to any single recorded onto a CD of any si ...
released on Swift's official website. In contemporary reviews, most music critics praised the uptempo production, but some deemed the track forgettable. The single won a Teen Choice Award for Choice Music – Country Song. Following the release of ''Speak Now'', "Sparks Fly" debuted at number 17 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and at number 28 on the Canadian Hot 100. After its single release, it peaked at number one on ''Billboard'''s Hot Country Songs chart and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Swift included the song on the set lists of the Speak Now World Tour (2011–2012) and
the Red Tour The Red Tour was the third concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, in support of her fourth studio album, '' Red'' (2012). The tour started on March 13, 2013, at CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska and concluded on June 12, ...
(2013–2014), and performed it on select dates of the 1989 World Tour (2015) and her Reputation Stadium Tour (2018).


Background and release

American singer-songwriter
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...
began work on her third studio album, '' Speak Now'' (2010), two years prior to its release. A track on the album, "Sparks Fly", was written by Swift when she was sixteen years old, before she released her self-titled debut album in 2006. She performed the song live during a few bar shows, and a recorded live performance of the song during one of her concerts made its way onto the internet in 2007. The song became a favorite among Swift's fans, and after Swift received fan request to include "Sparks Fly" on her third album at the 2010
CMA Music Festival The CMA Music Festival is a four-day music festival centered on country music, hosted each June by the Country Music Association (CMA) in Nashville, Tennessee. Beginning in 1972 under the name Fan Fair, the event now draws over 400 artists and c ...
, she decided to rework the song and include it on ''Speak Now''. The album version includes some changes to the lyrics and arrangement. "Sparks Fly" was sent to US country radio on July 18, 2011, by
Big Machine Records Big Machine Records is an American independent record label, distributed by Universal Music Group. Specializing in country and pop artists, Big Machine is based on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee. The label was founded in September 2005 by fo ...
; it was the fifth single from ''Speak Now''. An exclusive package was released to Swift's official store including a "Speak Now" necklace and an individually numbered "Sparks Fly" CD single. The single was later included in another package that was exclusive to Swift's official store. The package included the Target-exclusive deluxe edition of ''Speak Now'', a pair of headphones, and one of the three CD singles for "Sparks Fly", " The Story of Us", or "
Mean There are several kinds of mean in mathematics, especially in statistics. Each mean serves to summarize a given group of data, often to better understand the overall value (magnitude and sign) of a given data set. For a data set, the '' ari ...
". The song was featured on a promotional trailer for the CW show, ''
Hart of Dixie ''Hart of Dixie'' is an American comedy-drama television series that aired on The CW from September 26, 2011, to March 27, 2015. The series, created by Leila Gerstein, stars Rachel Bilson as Dr. Zoe Hart, a New Yorker who, after her dreams of ...
''.


Music and lyrics

"Sparks Fly" was written by Swift, who produced it with Nathan Chapman. According to Swift, the song is about an irresistible but dangerous love affair with strong connection and chemistry. Critics described it as an uptempo
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
song. In '' Taste of Country'', Amanda Hensel commented that "Sparks Fly" straddles the perceived boundary between
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...
and pop. Ed Masley of ''
The Arizona Republic ''The Arizona Republic'' is an American daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. Copies are sold at $2 daily or at $3 ...
'' called the song "a perfect blend of '70s
arena rock Arena rock (also known as AOR, melodic rock, stadium rock, anthem rock, pomp rock, corporate rock and dad rock; ; ) is a style of rock music that originated in the mid-1970s. As hard rock bands and those playing a softer yet strident kind of po ...
and country". The production incorporates dynamic
electric guitars An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gu ...
and subtle fiddles. In the lyrics, which feature fairy-tale imagery, the narrator talks about her obsession with a green-eyed boy, wanting to kiss him in the rain and waiting for him to lead her to private spaces. In the refrain, the narrator begs her love interest to "Drop everything now" and meet her in the pouring rain; Jonathan Keefe in ''Country Universe'' deemed this part the track's
hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...
. The lyrics mentioning love under the rain recall many of Swift's previous songs from her second album '' Fearless'' (2008), including the title track, " Hey Stephen", and "
Forever & Always "Forever & Always" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her second studio album, ''Fearless (Taylor Swift album), Fearless'' (2008). Swift was inspired to write the song by her short-lived relation ...
". The second verse of the 2010 album version replaces some lyrics in the original version such as, "Cause my heart is beating fast and you are beautiful," and includes new lyrics such as, "My mind forgets to remind me you're a bad idea." Chris Willman from
Yahoo! Music Yahoo! Music was a brand under which Yahoo! provided a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming. Previously, users with Yahoo! accounts could gain access to hundreds o ...
commented that the new lyrics portray the narrator as more confident. Additionally, the album version leaves out the banjo on the original. According to Theon Weber of ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...
'', the lyric, "Gimme something that'll haunt me when you're not around," is an allusion to sex.


Critical reception

In a ''Speak Now'' album review for ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'',
Rob Sheffield Robert James Sheffield (born February 2, 1966) is an American music journalist and author. He is a long time contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'', writing about music, TV, and pop culture. Previously, he was a contributing editor at '' Ble ...
selected "Sparks Fly" as an example where Swift improved as a singer. Keefe was otherwise unimpressed with Swift's vocals, which he deemed technically weak and limited, but lauded the song for its production and simplicity. Though Keefe remarked that the lyrical imagery was generic, the song "proves how evocative those turns-of-phrase can be in the right context". In ''Country Universe'', Keefe gave the track an A rating. Bobby Peacock of ''Roughstock'' and Amanda Hensel of ''Taste of Country'' both gave "Sparks Fly" a three-and-a-half rating out of five. Peacock welcomed the lyrical revisions from the original version and said that although the refrain is catchy, the song begins to trail off by the second half. Hensel similarly commended the catchy production but felt that it lacked the originality of ''Speak Now'' previous single "Mean". On a more negative side, Erin Thompson of ''
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'' commented the rain imagery on "Sparks Fly" represented Swift's lack of repertoire in her songwriting. John J. Moser from ''
The Morning Call ''The Morning Call'' is a daily newspaper in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1883, it is the second longest continuously published newspaper in the Lehigh Valley, after '' The Express-Times''. In 2020, the newspaper permanently closed its ...
'' and Mikael Wood from '' Spin'' considered it one of the album's weakest tracks. In a retrospective review, ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' Hannah Mylrea lauded the "euphoric" production and described the song as a "toe-tapping head-banging anthem". Sheffield picked it as an example where Swift "shows off her uncanny power to make a moment sound gauchely private and messily public at the same time". In ''
Consequence Consequence may refer to: * Logical consequence, also known as a ''consequence relation'', or ''entailment'' * In operant conditioning, a result of some behavior * Consequentialism, a theory in philosophy in which the morality of an act is determi ...
'', Mary Siroky opined that "Sparks Fly", which "fervidly showcased Swift's maturing approaches to songwriting and romance", should have been ''Speak Now'' lead single replacing the "safe and reflective" " Mine". Finley Liu, in a '' South China Morning Post'' ranking of Swift's discography, picked "Sparks Fly" as one of the album's underrated songs.


Accolades

At the BMI Country Awards in 2012, "Sparks Fly" was one of the 50 award-winning songs and helped Sony Music Publishing earn the award for Publisher of the Year. It received a nomination for Favorite Song at the 2012 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and won Choice Country Song at the 2012 Teen Choice Awards. In 2019, ''
Insider ''Insider'', previously named ''Business Insider'' (''BI''), is an American financial and business news website founded in 2007. Since 2015, a majority stake in ''Business Insider''s parent company Insider Inc. has been owned by the German publ ...
'' named "Sparks Fly" one of the eighteen best songs written by teenagers.


Commercial performance

After ''Speak Now'' was released, "Sparks Fly" debuted at number 17 (which also became its peak) on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart dated November 4, 2010. It was one of the ten ''Speak Now'' tracks that debuted on the Hot 100 the same week, making Swift the first act to have ten new Hot 100 entries at the same time. After its single release, it re-entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 84 on the week ending August 27, 2011. "Sparks Fly" spent a total of 20 weeks on the Hot 100. On '' Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart, which monitored US country airplay, the song peaked at number one on the chart dated November 26, 2011; it spent 21 weeks in total on the chart. It was Swift's fifth Hot Country Songs number-one single and her first since "
You Belong with Me "You Belong with Me" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from her second studio album ''Fearless (Taylor Swift album), Fearless'' (2008). Swift wrote the song with Liz Rose and produced it with Nathan Chapman (record prod ...
" (2009). "Sparks Fly" ranked at number 37 on the 2011 Hot Country Songs year-end chart. The single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for surpassing one million units and, as of November 2017, had sold 1.1 million digital copies in the United States. In Canada, "Sparks Fly" debuted and peaked at number 28 on the Canadian Hot 100 and number three on the
Canada Country The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...
chart. The single reached the lower-tier positions on charts in Australia (number 97) and
Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...
(number 17 on the
Ultratip Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium. Ultratop is a non-profit organization, created on the initiative of the Belgian Entertainment Association (BEA), the Belgian member organization of ...
chart).


Live performances

Swift performed "Sparks Fly" as an unreleased song during a few live shows in 2007. She performed "Sparks Fly" for an
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
''Speak Now''
Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden ...
Special, which broadcast on November 25, 2010. The television special showcased the making of the album along with live performances on a rooftop in New York City. On the
Speak Now World Tour The Speak Now World Tour was the second concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, and it was launched in support of her third studio album '' Speak Now'' (2010). The Speak Now tour began on February 9, 2011 in Singapore and the to ...
(2011–2012), Swift included it as the opening song to the concerts. She sang the song wearing a gold dress and tall black boots as fireworks dashed through a three-staircase stage. The performance was recorded and released on Swift's live album, ''
Speak Now World Tour – Live ''Speak Now World Tour – Live'' is the first live album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released on November 21, 2011, by Big Machine Records. It consists of two components: an audio CD and a visual accompaniment either on ...
'' (2011). On January 11, 2011, Swift performed "Sparks Fly" as part of an exclusive concert for the '' Allure of the Seas'' cruise in Mexico. She later performed "Sparks Fly" at the 2011 CMA Music Festival, held in August, and at a showcase in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in September 2012, with Brazilian singer-songwriter Paula Fernandes. Swift later included the track on the set list of
the Red Tour The Red Tour was the third concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, in support of her fourth studio album, '' Red'' (2012). The tour started on March 13, 2013, at CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska and concluded on June 12, ...
(2013–2014); during the shows, she sang the song on a platform suspended from the ceiling. The song was part of select shows for her later tours, the 1989 World Tour (
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
, August 2015), and Reputation Stadium Tour ( Columbus, July 2018). She also performed the track at the Formula 1 Grand Prix held on October 22, 2016, in Austin.


Music video

The music video for "Sparks Fly", directed by Christian Lamb, was released on August 10, 2011. It features footage from the Speak Now World Tour; much of the footage was captured at four tour date locations, including one from the show in
Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area. Throughout the video, Swift is seen performing with many stage actors, dancers, and acrobats, through multiple costume changes, and slow motion is used extensively. Media publications praised the video's production quality with visually stimulating stage settings. During the week of its release, the music video accumulated over 400,000 views and helped Swift rise from number nineteen to ten on ''Billboard''
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chart.


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


Release history


See also

* List of Hot Country Songs number ones of 2011


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sparks Fly (song) 2010 songs 2011 singles Taylor Swift songs Songs written by Taylor Swift Song recordings produced by Nathan Chapman (record producer) Big Machine Records singles Song recordings produced by Taylor Swift American pop rock songs